125 Years Ago - 1891

Yesterday the Mayor of Accrington afforded the members of the Corporation and officers a rich treat by having an excursion to Ilkley and Bolton Abbey. The party, which numbered 41, dined at the Middleton Hotel, and spent an enjoyable time among the beauties of Bolton and Ilkley.

A meeting of those interested in the tradesmen's annual match, an event which is immensely popular with the inhabitants of Ilkley, was held last night in the dining-room of the Crescent Hotel. It was moderately well attended. Mr Boden was voted to the chair, and explained that the meeting had been convened for the purposes of making arrangements for the holding of the match on the Feast, Wednesday September 23. Messrs Boden and John Beanlands were selected as the captains of the teams, which are limited in number in number to 28 each, one side to wear black hats and the other white hats, the good players to be handicapped, as in former years, by playing left handed.

100 Years Ago - 1916

The final rehearsal for the open air musical festival to be given in Horsforth Hall Park on Sunday, in aid of the Blinded Soldiers and Sailors Fund, by the United Church Choirs of Horsforth, was held on Wednesday night when there was a large attendance.

Pte. R. L. Ball, from Addingham, writes to Mr C Flint:-"We are having very hot weather here just now, and we are making it very hot for 'Fritz' in other ways too. I think he is just about on his last legs, and we shall soon cut those from under him, all being well. Of course he cuts up rough now and again, but when he starts with his "sausages, rum jars, and minenwerfers" our artillery doesn't half give him some stick. I see in the papers that Frank Keighley and a few more Addingham lads have got wounded but I hope they will all pull through all right. "

75 Years Ago - 1941

The spreading of the purple across the moors , the reddening of the berries of the mountain ash, the the coming of the fruits and the later flowers, all tell their story of the turn of the year, and with this story comes the hint that autumn mists will soon be lying in wait and that Christmas is not far round the corner. And more than ever one needs to think of Christmas early this year. In time of war Christmas counts for far more than in the days of peace. It is at this season of the year that each little community seizes gladly the opportunity of sending to its townsfolk in the Navy, the Army and the Air Forces some little gift which assures them they are not forgotten by those whom they are serving so devotedly.

The reference to an American town named Yeadon in the "Telegraph and Argus" has brought a letter from Mrs E. Wood, of St. Enoch's Road, Wibsey, who has friends there. She visited this other Yeadon in 1914, when it was a "pretty country place," and says she corresponds regularly with her friends, some of whom went from the Yorkshire Yeadon to the United States.

50 Years Ago - 1966

Leeds United and Welsh International goalkeeper, Gary Sprake, caused a bit of a stir among choirboys at Guiseley Parish Church when he was best man at a wedding at the church on Saturday. After the ceremony Gary obliged the youngsters by giving them his autograph. The previous week the Rector, Canon J. F. Wrangham Hardy, christened the daughter of Alan Close, the brother of Yorkshire and England skipper Brian Close who attended the ceremony along with his wife.

Brian Close, captain of Yorkshire and now leader of the England cricket team paid a visit to his home town after play on Monday evening. The visit was to the garage and showrooms of Isaac Swires and Sons, Ltd., Henshaw, Yeadon, in order to make a presentation of £1,500 to a customer at the garage who had won a major prize in the Esso Tiger road safety competition.

25 Years Ago - 1991

A new summer attraction in Ilkley was launched this week on a one-month trial. A massive 30ft bouncy castle has been inflated at Ilkley Swimming Baths and will be providing energetic fun for youngsters every Sunday - if the scheme wins the approval of sceptical councillors.

The winding down of activities at Scalebor Park psychiatric hospital at Burley-in-Wharfedale continued this week when three buildings were put up for sale. Two detached properties and a stone-built barn are now on the market as Airedale Health Authority goes ahead with its plans to close down the entire hospital, which is in Moor Lane, by 1994.